Suffering: The Cosmic Slap You Didn’t Know You Needed

How to Stop Fighting Life and Let Suffering Do Its Job

Ah, suffering—the universe’s way of slapping the nachos out of your hand and saying, “Pay attention, mortal.”

We don’t like it. We resist it. We bargain with it like a desperate gambler trying to keep his last chip. “Come on, universe, just let me have this one thing, and I’ll be good forever, promise.” But suffering just raises an eyebrow and deals another round of whatever you were trying to avoid.

So, Why Do We Suffer?

Simple. You’re too attached to stuff that isn’t real.

• You expect people to stay the same when even your favorite pair of jeans betray you over time.

• You plan your future like you have a VIP pass to tomorrow. Spoiler: you don’t.

• You think your identity—your job, your name, your perfectly curated beliefs—are you. They’re not. They’re just the costumes you’re trying on this lifetime.

Suffering happens because you confuse the temporary with the eternal. And life, being the gentle teacher it is (LOL), will remind you of this with heartbreak, loss, and the occasional public humiliation that makes you question all your life choices.

But Here’s the Twist—Suffering Isn’t Your Enemy

I know, I know. You’d rather have a life full of bliss, no bad hair days, and unlimited free guacamole. (Me too, my child.) But suffering isn’t a punishment. It’s not some cosmic bully picking on you just because you forgot to sage your apartment.

It’s a wake-up call.

It’s a wrecking ball to your ego, tearing down everything false so you can see what’s actually real.

Think of suffering like that friend who tells you the hard truth:

• “That relationship isn’t serving you.”

• “Your attachment to success is actually making you miserable.”

• “No, you cannot pull off leather pants. Accept this and be free.”

Suffering has one job—to pull you out of the illusion of control and into reality. And reality, dear soul, is way more interesting than the fantasy you’ve been clinging to.

How to Stop Suffering (Or At Least Make It Shut Up a Bit)

You can’t avoid suffering entirely (sorry), but you can stop making it worse. How?

1. Stop fighting impermanence. Life changes. People leave. Hairlines recede. Clinging to what must change is like trying to surf with a brick. Let go.

2. Drop the drama. You don’t have to narrate your suffering like a tragic hero. Sometimes, pain is just pain. You can feel it without turning it into an epic Netflix saga.

3. Laugh at the absurdity. Your soul is eternal. Your problems? Not so much. A little cosmic perspective never hurt anybody. (Well, except maybe philosophers. They tend to spiral.)

4. Find the lesson, then move on. Suffering is like a pop quiz. You don’t have to ace it, but at least try to learn something before moving to the next class.

A Small Practice to Transform Suffering

Alright, so you’re stuck in traffic, someone just cut you off, and you can feel the fiery rage of a thousand suns building in your chest.

Pause. Breathe. And instead of cursing their entire bloodline, try this:

Remind yourself that countless other beings are experiencing this exact same frustration right now.

Somewhere, a monk in Thailand is stuck behind a slow walker. A parent in New York is trying not to lose it over a toddler’s 37th meltdown of the day. A cosmic soul just like you is staring at their WiFi signal, waiting for a page to load.

And in that moment, make a small wish for them:
"May they be free from this annoyance. May they find peace, even in this."

That’s it. A tiny shift. A crack in the armor of your suffering.

And the funniest thing? The moment you wish peace for someone else, you’ll feel just a little lighter yourself.

Try it. The universe has a strange sense of humor, and it loves rewarding those who finally get the joke.

🔥 Your turn: What’s one time suffering taught you something that changed your life? Share it below—I promise not to judge. (Unless it’s about leather pants. Then I will absolutely judge.